Yes there are left and right handed shotguns. Many left handers shoot right handed shotguns and just reverse the safety. Some (naturally in my opinion) prefer ambidextrous designs like the Browning BPS and Ithaca. It would definitely matter to me, and it mattered to my Southpaw daughter.

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I am looking into purchasing a shotgun for hunting. I am left handed so is there a need to buy a shout that is specifically left handed or does it matter.

Thanks

You might want to post your question on the left handed forum.

Many guns are cast neutral, and therefore can be reasonably used by either right or left handed shooters. Beretta O/Us, for example. A Browning BPS is another (and with a top-tang safety to boot, so that any left handed shooter will feel right at home with this gun). Or most all Remington pump and semiautomatics. Left handed shooters get on reasonably well with cast neutral guns.

Many of the better quality semiautos come with shim kits to adjust fit, including drop and cast. This would include the Browning Maxus, most any Beretta, Benelli, etc. Most of these guns also have a safety that is easly switched for left-nad (oopps..a typo, I meant left-handed ) operation.

So to the point, no, there is no need to specifically buy a gun that is designed exclusively for a lefty. I say this, however, as someone who owns three such guns (Remington 11-87, Benelli SBE II, and Benelli Montefeltro). I also own a Mossberg 835 (top tang safety) which is my back-up waterfowl gun. There are many guns out there that can either accommodate a left-handed shooter right off of the shelf or can be easily adjusted to do so.

Be careful about reversing the safety. If you ever loan the gun to a right handed shooter it could have tragic results. I hunted with a guy who was using an old Savage model 30L. It had a L/H safety and he wasn't aware of this until he had a fail to fire. Apparently he had been hunting with the gun on ''safe off'' mode. We didn't have any accidental discharge BUT the chance was there.

Just a slight correction to Dr. Master Blaster's post. I believe he meant to say that Browning O/U are neutral cast as Beretta's are definately not. Beretta does indeed have a left handed stock option when you purchase a new O/U.

One reason I read about for lefties to use left-handed shotguns is that when shooting a right-handed shotgun, the ejection port faces the head, which directs the noise to the ear. I suppose wearing hearing protection would fix that, but how many do when in the field? By the way, I am a lefty and have shot right-handed shotguns all my life. My hearing isn't too good, but that's probably due to stereo headphone abuse when I was younger.

Just a slight correction to Dr. Master Blaster's post. I believe he meant to say that Browning O/U are neutral cast as Beretta's are definately not. Beretta does indeed have a left handed stock option when you purchase a new O/U.

ne reason I read about for lefties to use left-handed shotguns is that when shooting a right-handed shotgun, the ejection port faces the head, which directs the noise to the ear. I suppose wearing hearing protection would fix that, but how many do when in the field? By the way, I am a lefty and have shot right-handed shotguns all my life. My hearing isn't too good, but that's probably due to stereo headphone abuse when I was younger.

Same position here - (Jimi Hendrix at volume 9 with headphones), but it doesn't take much to use at least a foam plug in each ear

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A bespoke SxS made to your order as a southpaw will have the trigger blades at a different angle, and the top lever will go t'other way too, plus as has been said the cast will be adjusted.

Eug

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Most repeaters eject out to the right, so as a lefty you'll have ejected shells going across your face. Some folks are bothered by this, others aren't. There are guns that eject out the bottom and so are "universal" in addition to the left-handed guns.

Remington has made left hand versions of their 870 pumps, and 1100 and 11-87 autoloaders. I'm not sure which are in production now, but used ones can be found with a little looking. They bring a bit of a premium, but should still be fairly affordable.As far as the noise factor, I can't imagine (and sure would hope) there is not a lot of sound (or anything else) coming out of the ejection port while the breech is closed on any firearm. The bottom of the gun in the feed area is probably even more open.

Remington has made left hand versions of their 870 pumps, and 1100 and 11-87 autoloaders. I'm not sure which are in production now, but used ones can be found with a little looking. They bring a bit of a premium, but should still be fairly affordable.As far as the noise factor, I can't imagine (and sure would hope) there is not a lot of sound (or anything else) coming out of the ejection port while the breech is closed on any firearm. The bottom of the gun in the feed area is probably even more open.

I think the only thing they make now is the 870 Express...POS. I believe that Remington dropped the LH 1100 G3 about as fast as they added it. The 105CTi might be a possibility, but I am not sure if the safety can be easily switched. I (mostly) prefer the LH Benellis to the Remingtons.

Sound from a RH semiauto has never been an issue for me. The only problem is if there is a stiff wind in the face...you sometimes get a blast of hot gas right in the face.